Make it a fair good timeFunnel cakes are good. Funnel cakes make people happy. All joking aside, local involvement makes the Pope County fair a special event in the Arkansas River Valley. In Sunday's Courier, we highlighted what will be new at the 2005 Pope County Fair. More of everything seems to be the trend with this year's fair. Road improvements are expected to improve traffic flow, while additional exhibits and increased entertainment will also enhance the fair...

Terror at home, four years laterHas it been four years since we woke up to the news that a plane had flown into one of the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001? Yes. Has it been four years since thousands fled in what then seemed a tragic accident, but suddenly turned into a horror movie when another plane flew into the other WTC tower? Yes. Has it been four years since those same WTC towers fell, another plane flew into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and hijackers...

Community comes through for evacueesThis is not necessarily a great weekend in the history of Arkansas River Valley. However, it is one we will be able to look back for years to come as a time when we came together and made a difference in the lives of the displaced families who suffered from Hurricane Katrina. Russellville Mayor Raye Turner reported Friday nearly all of the evacuees from the hurricane had some type of housing. We were able to move forward, and the Hughes Commun...

Anger over Iraq set asideAs we continue to be impressed by the overwhelming assistance received by victims of Hurricane Katrina - from many in the Arkansas River Valley as well as the state of Arkansas and the United States - we extend our deepest gratitude to 95 countries around the world who have tons of food and supplies ready to send to our Gulf Coast, just not enough planes to get them here yet. Many nations offering aid are complaining they have received no answ...

Katrina hogs the headlinesWhat are the most important things in your life? Hurricane Katrina has changed everything. The horrific experiences the victims in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama went through makes everything else seem so petty. Family, health and friends skyrocketed to the top of our minds. In the media, local and national, all other stories that seemed huge have taken a backseat to Hurricane Katrina. The Oct. 11 special election to revoke the Russellvill...

Katrina's worst brings out bestDid you wake up in your own bed this morning? Or did you have to ask where you were? Were your first thoughts focused around being hungry or worried about your kids? Did you have the pleasure of choosing what outfit you were going to wear? Will you have a place to call home this evening? For thousands of Hurricane Katrina survivors, the simple aspects of life have become not so simple. We have hundreds of displaced families in Russellville who...

Community settles inResponsive Arkansas River Valley leaders have done an excellent job in spur-of-the-moment planning for Hurricane Katrina refugees. We applaud the community for stepping up and doing all we can do to help our fellow citizens. The fact of the matter is that we aren't just helping these people for a few days; we are helping them pick themselves up and begin a new life. Widespread flooding, infrastructure collapse and lack of fuel, water and food ...

Many questions still unansweredIt's been a week to a remember for the ages. Hurricane Katrina, which has destroyed New Orleans and other portions of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, has changed all of our lives forever. Words cannot describe how we feel and the impact it has had on us. As Hurricane Katrina first hit the Gulf Coast, it was easy to grieve for the victims, but the impact felt indirect. By late Wednesday, community leaders throughout the Arkansas River Valle...

Recycling of e-scrapConsumers will finally have a chance to rid themselves of broken or outmoded computers, monitors, cell phones and other forms of electronic waste, protect the environment and do it all at no cost to themselves, thanks to a pilot program that we heard about and will begin soon. UNICOR and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) have announced Project Green-Fed, an e-scrap recycling program for all Arkansans that will be provided...

Big oil wouldn't price gougeIn the words of today's teenager, "Whatever." Gouging is too kind of a word for what the American people are going through at the gasoline pumps. It is true that countries across the big pond have been paying higher fuel prices for years, however recent increases in the United States have been a monumental leap for the average consumer. Most of us live on restricted budgets. Stretching the dollar can only go so far, and right now, the American...

Waterworld needs our helpUnfortunately, the lower Gulf of Mexico states have seen first-hand what life is like when the ocean overtakes land. Although there's no Hollywood screenplays or million-dollar actors in this drama. This is the reality of life after Hurricane Katrina. Thousands of evacuees fled north, and several landed right here in some of Russellville's hotels. Today's front-page feature story highlights former Russellville resident Jim Grant and his recent...

Thoughts, prayersKatrina is one of many hurricanes, which has thrown its wiehgt around in the Gulf Coast states these past few months. People throughout Louisiana and Mississppi are handling the situation as well as they possibly can by evacuating and finding safe places to stay. Many even went to the Superdome in New Orleans as homes and other buildings were destroyed. While we were defenseless when Katrina came, there are ways we can help the victims. Volunt...

Football is hereFor many student-athletes and coaches, the 2005 football season began in last year's off-season and this year's spring practice sessions in the gym, the weightroom, film room, trainer's office, coaching clinics, etc. During the summer, talk about this team, that conference, these players or those coaches heats up right with the temperatures and the practice fields when two-a-days kick off the first week of August. No more preseason scrimmages....

Thank you, Troop JTo Protect and Serve. That's the motto of any man or woman in law enforcement, as they all go above and beyond the call of duty at some point during their shifts. We can't thank area law enforcement enough for their continuing battle against the War on Methamphetamine. Every police officer or sheriff's deputy in the Arkansas River Valley puts their lives on the line to uphold the law and help someone in need. And, they're doing this as rising ...

Good news, bad newsWe were encouraged the other day when we saw that seat belt use by Arkansas motorists is on the rise according to the preliminary findings of the annual observational survey announced recently by the Arkansas State Police Highway Safety Office. However, our encouragement turned to concern when we saw elsewhere the number of people dying on Arkansas roads because of alcohol-related car accidents is on the rise. That bad news puts the Natural St...

Taken out of context?It happens every day, all across the United States and the world. It has led to the end of relationships, the beginning of arguments, sometimes even heated battles. We realize if one person sitting in a crowded theater loves a movie, the person they could be sitting next to could hate it. That's yet another great freedom we enjoy as Americans - we can express our views in print, on the air or face to face. Pat Robertson, a former presidential ...

Thunderstorms no match for Pope County workersIt's nice to know when something goes wrong, the emergency teams are there when we need them. A thunderstorms arose throughout the area Tuesday afternoon leading to a power outage in parts of Pope County and other surrounding areas. The 911/Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was on the job. While OEM did not receive any reports involving danger or serious damage, it was nice to know they were prepared. David Freeman, 911/OEM Director, was co...

Back to the grindWe've made our way into August and school is in session. Back to school time is precluded by a shopping frenzy, and a time of checking your to- do list. Most families work their way into a routine as the kids have more of a set schedule during the school year. Keeping students excited about going to school is crucial this time of year. Parents should find fun and interactive ways to make their kids feel like going to school is special because ...

Stop for school busesLast year, The Courier and local law enforcement stepped up efforts to combat the annual problem of folks who forget to slow down or stop when a school bus slows or comes to a stop to drop off your friends, neighbors, children or grandchildren. It was such a problem last year, Pope County Sheriff Jay Winters at least a couple of times assigned extra patrols and called on anyone who would listen to please watch out for youngsters getting on and...

Arkansas provides top-notch medical careHospital care in the state of Arkansas is something we all should be proud of. We are fortunate to be so close to the Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, which is known for being one of the best in the nation. While many of us are apt to take medical care for granted because it is something we have access to on a daily basis, not everyone is as lucky as we are. Fortunately, others out of state have been able to share our good fortunes...